Mounting insignia



United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 40-1.5 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THEDISCLOSURE Insignia mounting device in which a clamping member is biasedagainst a locating member by a narrow torsion bar arranged for twistingflexure about the axis of exure of the clamping member, the membersdefining an adjustable downwardly opening wedge shaped fabric receivingspace.

This invention relates to mounting indicia on clothing.

Objects of the invention are to provide a device for such mounting thatcan be easily and quickly secured to and detached from clothing of anythickness without injuring the fabric, remains in position despitemovement by the wearer, has no loose parts, is lightweight, and can beinexpensively manufactured in various sizes.

The invention features a locating member providing a pair of spacedopposing locating surfaces, and a clamping member having an axis offlexure spaced from one locating surface in the direction of the otherand extending from the axis upwardly toward the rst mentioned locatingsurface, the clamping member being resiliently biased against movementabout the axis away from the locating surface, to define an adjustabledownwardly opening wedge shaped fabric receiving space. In preferredembodiments a narrow transverse torsion bar biases the clamping member;the clamping member is joined to the torsion bar through a rigid neck;the device is formed of a unitary piece of thin metal (preferablyanodized aluminum); the locating member is a piece of metal bent to forma rear plate and a shorter front plate to provide the locating surfaces;the opposing surface portions of the clamping member and the oppositelocating surface are knurled; the device (preferably at least fourinches long) includes a bottom edge spaced from the fabric receivingspace sufficiently to contact the bottom of a pocket in which the deviceis mounted; the rear plate has a substantial area thereof cut out toreduce weight; and the clamping member includes a thumb tab extendingabove the bend between the front and rear plates.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description of a preferred embodimentthereof, taken together with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the mounting device; and

PIG. 2 is a side view of the device.

The mounting device consists of a unitary piece of anodized aluminum,colored as desired, and bent at its top to provide a 41/2" long rearplate 12 and a 3A" long front plate 14. Plate 12 is cut out at 16 and 18to reduce weight and to provide alternative lines 20 and 22 (dotted)along which plate 12 can be cut off to provide a shorter device. Plate12 is additionally cut out at 24 and 25 (the latter cutout extendingbeyond the bend to plate 14) to provide a 3;/16" wide torsion bar 28connected through 3,462,863 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 ice rigid neck 30 toclamp 32. Plates 12, 14 (exclusive of clamp 32) provide opposinglocating surfaces 34 and 36 spaced apart by 1A. Clamp 32 is somewhatmore than half as wide as plates 12, 14, includes a thumb tab 40extending slightly above the bend between plates 12, 14, and extendsunder the resilient biasing of torsion bar 28 from the torsion bartoward and into contact with surface 36 to provide a wedge shapeddownwardly opening fabric receiving space 42. The surfaces of clamp 32and plate 14 that oppose each other are knurled. Insignia 44 (FIG. 2) iscemented tothe front of plate 14.

In operation, plate 12 is inserted into (eg.) a shirt pocket with thefabric passing into space 42 between locating surfaces 34, 35. Clamp 32bends about the axis of torsion bar 28 (see dotted lines, FIG. 2) toaccommodate the fabric (tab 40v may be pressed to facilitate thisbending), and yet remains resiliently biased toward surface 36 to firmlyclamp the fabric between the knurled surfaces of clamp 32 and plate 14,whatever the thickness of the fabric. Bottom edge 42 of plate 12contacts the bottom of the pocket to aid in firmly positioning thedevice, eliminating sag of the pocket fabric. The device can be removedby pressing tab 40 to relieve the clamping pressure against the fabric.

Other embodiments (e.g. changing the width of the torsion bar to changethe clamping force) will occur to those skilled in the art and arewithin the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for mounting insignia on clothing, cornprising:

a locating member providing a pair of spaced opposing locating surfaces,and

a clamping member having an axis of exure spaced from one of saidopposing surfaces in the direction of the other said surface, saidclamping member extending from said axis upwardly toward said onesurface and being resiliently biased against movement about said axisaway from said one surface, to define an adjustable downwardly openingwedge shaped fabric receiving space, said clamping member being sobiased by a narrow transverse torsion bar arranged for twisting flexureabout said axis.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said locating and clamping members areformed of a unitary piece of thin metal.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said metal is anodized aluminum.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said clamping member is joined to saidtorsion bar through a rigid neck.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said locating member comprises a pieceof thin lmetal bent to form a rear plate and a shorter front plate, saidplates providing said locating surfaces.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the opposing surface portions of saidclamping member and said other locating surface are knurled.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein a bottom edge thereof is spaced fromsaid fabric receiving space sufficiently to contact the bottom of apocket in which said device is mounted.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said device is at least four incheslong.

9. The device of claim 5 wherein said rear plate has a substantial areathereof cut out to reduce the weight of said device.

10. The device of claim 5 wherein said clamping member includes a thumbtab extending above the bend be tween said plates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,330,684 2/1920 Chwala 40-111,757,440 5/1930 Sharp 40-11 1,863,472 6/ 1932 Covitch 40-11 3,175,3173/1965 Slavsky 40-2 3,280,488 10/1966 Rubin 401.5 3,295,235 1/1967Tauber 401.5

5 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner W. I. CONTRERAS, AssistantExaminer U.S. C1. X.R. 40-11, 23

